The things which motivate me to update my blog are often rather random and even more often disjointed. That sentence hardly makes sense but we'll roll with it.
So here's the sitch.
Today I got to work and logged onto my email, to see if I had any assignments I needed to grade. What should greet me upon opening my inbox, but an email from twitter!
Now think what you will about Twitter. Some people really like it, but I personally am not the hugest fan. I don't have a tremendous problem with it, or really any problem with it at all. However, I'd prefer to use facebook and I just don't use my twitter account all that often. As was evidenced by the email.
The subject line read, "Take 2 minutes and get back on twitter!"
So whatever. I opened it up. Here are literal word for word excerpts from the message they sent me. Ahem.
"We've missed you on Twitter!" Twitter can "personally reflect you and your interests" and my personal favorite: "you'll see how quickly Twitter becomes an invaluable part of your life."
An invaluable part of my life?!
I am so sorry, but if anyone really feels that way about their twitter, it just needs to end friend. When I think about "invaluable parts" of my life I think of my family, friends, writing, dancing, and the gospel. Twitter sure doesn't make that list, people. And it never will. No matter what I put on my twitter timeline to personally reflect me.
So, playing the overly attached girlfriend in the new hit "Clingy" will be Twitter. I'm predicting and hoping they win an award.
September 18, 2012
September 12, 2012
Musings on America
Now that I've officially horrified my mother with my post about Eat Randy, it's time for to think about something a little more serious.
Yes. More serious than Eat Randy.
For real, though, I've had a lot on my mind lately. Not in a dark, depressing sort of way, but just in a heavy sort of way.
The first thing I'd like to address is September 11th, which was yesterday. I was just a kid, seven years old, when the twin towers were bombed. Even then though, I knew it was a big deal. It was the first time I'd ever seen so many adults upset about the same thing. Within a year, people had gotten all crazy, blaming the government, and hatching conspiracy theories. I think that's really sad, but even more than that I think it's too bad that our nation pulled away like that, because right after the attacks our country was really united.
For once, everyone looked at people like police and firemen as heroes, instead of complaining about cops on the freeway or saying there were too many firefighters hanging out at the gym. For once, people made the realization that families are more important than stacks of bills.
I remember my mom telling me that President Bush had asked for each child to send a dollar to help the nation. I remember asking my mom if I could send two.
Whenever September 11th rolls around, I guess the memories of the time immediately following comes back to me. So I just wanted to take a second to say I still believe in America. Even though there are a lot of problems with our country, and even though I believe there are many less than upright politicians out there, I still believe that America is the best place on earth. We have been blessed to live in a land with amazing opportunities, where anyone can be a hero, and where amazing things can happen when we actually do unite. For a country built on a principle of "United we Stand, Divided we Fall" and bearing the words "One nation under God, Indivisible," in our pledge it is unreal how we clump into factions and go at one another's throats to defend our points of view.
So I don't know what brought all these feelings about exactly, except that patriotism has been on my mind due to the time of year. I just wanted to be say it, to say that it really wouldn't hurt us all to be a little bit nicer to everyone else.
One of my very very very best friends in High School was super liberal. I'm extremely conservative. As an LDS woman, I accept the differences between man and woman, and that we were created for different purposes, and I don't see that as a limitation. My friend didn't view this the same way I did, but guess what? That never mattered to me. I still loved her, and being her friend helped me not judge people for their views as much as I maybe would've before.
I'm not trying to say I'm perfect now, or that I never judge, or that I'm what everyone should aspire to be. All I'm saying is that in my senior year of high school I realized that what we believe doesn't necessarily define us, and we can care about people with whom we disagree. My friend always knew I didn't see things the same way she did, but we still had fun.
We don't need to ostracize people who thinkdifferently than we do. We don't need to tear other's points of view down, just to make ours seem right. We don't need to make assumptions based on race or gender.
I guess that's something else that really impacted me... My current job is as the Independent Study History Tutor. As a part of this job, I grade a couple of courses. One of the courses I grade is USA 41, and as one of the assignments for this course students are required to write "An American Anthem" about September 11th. Needless to say, I have gotten a wide range of strange songs, some of which have made the book of "weirdest assignments ever". However, on Monday I received the course portfolio from a Muslim girl, and her anthem on September 11th made me almost feel a little sick to my stomach.
Her anthem talked about how she and her family watched the terrorist attacks with the same horror as every other American citizen, but her family was all treated with suspicion after that day. They were ostracized, and questioned, and judged, just because they were of the same race and religion as some evil men halfway across the world.
Why do we do that? The hate that the human race is capable of is something which makes me want to make a change. I want people to know that I don't want to be like other people who would hate them just because they aren't white, or because they're poor, or because they're gay.
So while I know that this isn't much, and I know that realistically only about five people actually read my blog, I guess this is my way of kind of making a stand and saying let's all just love each other. We don't need to accept people's sins, but we do need to accept them.
Yes. More serious than Eat Randy.
For real, though, I've had a lot on my mind lately. Not in a dark, depressing sort of way, but just in a heavy sort of way.
The first thing I'd like to address is September 11th, which was yesterday. I was just a kid, seven years old, when the twin towers were bombed. Even then though, I knew it was a big deal. It was the first time I'd ever seen so many adults upset about the same thing. Within a year, people had gotten all crazy, blaming the government, and hatching conspiracy theories. I think that's really sad, but even more than that I think it's too bad that our nation pulled away like that, because right after the attacks our country was really united.
For once, everyone looked at people like police and firemen as heroes, instead of complaining about cops on the freeway or saying there were too many firefighters hanging out at the gym. For once, people made the realization that families are more important than stacks of bills.
I remember my mom telling me that President Bush had asked for each child to send a dollar to help the nation. I remember asking my mom if I could send two.
Whenever September 11th rolls around, I guess the memories of the time immediately following comes back to me. So I just wanted to take a second to say I still believe in America. Even though there are a lot of problems with our country, and even though I believe there are many less than upright politicians out there, I still believe that America is the best place on earth. We have been blessed to live in a land with amazing opportunities, where anyone can be a hero, and where amazing things can happen when we actually do unite. For a country built on a principle of "United we Stand, Divided we Fall" and bearing the words "One nation under God, Indivisible," in our pledge it is unreal how we clump into factions and go at one another's throats to defend our points of view.
So I don't know what brought all these feelings about exactly, except that patriotism has been on my mind due to the time of year. I just wanted to be say it, to say that it really wouldn't hurt us all to be a little bit nicer to everyone else.
One of my very very very best friends in High School was super liberal. I'm extremely conservative. As an LDS woman, I accept the differences between man and woman, and that we were created for different purposes, and I don't see that as a limitation. My friend didn't view this the same way I did, but guess what? That never mattered to me. I still loved her, and being her friend helped me not judge people for their views as much as I maybe would've before.
I'm not trying to say I'm perfect now, or that I never judge, or that I'm what everyone should aspire to be. All I'm saying is that in my senior year of high school I realized that what we believe doesn't necessarily define us, and we can care about people with whom we disagree. My friend always knew I didn't see things the same way she did, but we still had fun.
We don't need to ostracize people who thinkdifferently than we do. We don't need to tear other's points of view down, just to make ours seem right. We don't need to make assumptions based on race or gender.
I guess that's something else that really impacted me... My current job is as the Independent Study History Tutor. As a part of this job, I grade a couple of courses. One of the courses I grade is USA 41, and as one of the assignments for this course students are required to write "An American Anthem" about September 11th. Needless to say, I have gotten a wide range of strange songs, some of which have made the book of "weirdest assignments ever". However, on Monday I received the course portfolio from a Muslim girl, and her anthem on September 11th made me almost feel a little sick to my stomach.
Her anthem talked about how she and her family watched the terrorist attacks with the same horror as every other American citizen, but her family was all treated with suspicion after that day. They were ostracized, and questioned, and judged, just because they were of the same race and religion as some evil men halfway across the world.
Why do we do that? The hate that the human race is capable of is something which makes me want to make a change. I want people to know that I don't want to be like other people who would hate them just because they aren't white, or because they're poor, or because they're gay.
So while I know that this isn't much, and I know that realistically only about five people actually read my blog, I guess this is my way of kind of making a stand and saying let's all just love each other. We don't need to accept people's sins, but we do need to accept them.
 |
| God Bless America |
September 10, 2012
Eat Randy
This post is called Eat Randy and it is dedicated to my roommate who is crazy, but I love.
College is very different than I expected, but it sure is a lot of fun.
Last night, after a rather dismal, I'm sorry to say for me and my social life, ward wrap up I returned to the dorm room, filled with "bleh".
I first dispelled of the bleh by eating a little cookie bar thing that I made. I'm becoming a little obsessed with food...and may need to start a food blog. Thoughts!?
Note to people on my hall: Come over. Get the treats before Kalin and I eat them all. It's a legit possibility.
Tangent over. After the cookie, there was a dance party of sorts, with some of the most random music you could ever imagine.
This morning I woke up and THE. FIRST. THOUGHT. through my silly little head was, "I'd rather eat Randy", in a high pitched tone of voice (it's a song people).
And that's just sort of the day it's been.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqKPe9w5bUs
If you too would like to have a Eat Randy day, there's the song. I'm not suggesting it, I'm just making it a possibility. You know. Agency.
The point is, I love my hall. And you.
College is very different than I expected, but it sure is a lot of fun.
Last night, after a rather dismal, I'm sorry to say for me and my social life, ward wrap up I returned to the dorm room, filled with "bleh".
I first dispelled of the bleh by eating a little cookie bar thing that I made. I'm becoming a little obsessed with food...and may need to start a food blog. Thoughts!?
Note to people on my hall: Come over. Get the treats before Kalin and I eat them all. It's a legit possibility.
Tangent over. After the cookie, there was a dance party of sorts, with some of the most random music you could ever imagine.
This morning I woke up and THE. FIRST. THOUGHT. through my silly little head was, "I'd rather eat Randy", in a high pitched tone of voice (it's a song people).
And that's just sort of the day it's been.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqKPe9w5bUs
If you too would like to have a Eat Randy day, there's the song. I'm not suggesting it, I'm just making it a possibility. You know. Agency.
The point is, I love my hall. And you.
September 7, 2012
My 24 Hour Jaunt as a Sci-Fi Character
For those of you who know me very well- which I'm pretty sure everyone that reads my blog does, seeing as it isn't well read- I had an Ambulatory EEG yesterday. I've been battling what my family has come to call "the Twitch" for over three years now. At first we thought it was muscular, likely the result of hundreds of hours of ballet. However, after attempted stretching, chiropractic work, and massage therapy we finally got the problem checked out by a neurologist and after a MRI and a regular EEG the doctor told me she thought it was seizures!
After such a diagnosis we started medicine and then went in to another doctor to get a second opinion. Much like the first neurologist, this one immediately wrote off the possibility of it being seizures. I stay completely conscious during each attack and the activity is completely isolated to the right side of my neck. With such skepticism, the doctor prescribed that we retest, this time for more accuracy.
So, I got the unique experience of getting a 24 hour EEG. Here's how it went down!
After such a diagnosis we started medicine and then went in to another doctor to get a second opinion. Much like the first neurologist, this one immediately wrote off the possibility of it being seizures. I stay completely conscious during each attack and the activity is completely isolated to the right side of my neck. With such skepticism, the doctor prescribed that we retest, this time for more accuracy.
So, I got the unique experience of getting a 24 hour EEG. Here's how it went down!
First they attached the wires to my head. I promise my hair wasn't that nasty to begin with. They kind of make a mess of it when attaching those wires. Even though you can only see the wires in front from this picture, they are all over my head, including dastardly ones behind my ears which drove me crazy for the entirety of the test. This made me able to empathize for movie stars who have to play aliens in movies or such, who spend hours getting makeup done before filming. Putting the EEG on took TWO HOURS. Not the most enjoyable two hours ever, but certainly interesting.
Once all the wires were attached they gave me all the necessary equipment to transmit the information being recorded. For those of you who don't know, an EEG takes pictures of your brain waves to allow doctors to see what is up with your brain, so I was constantly streaming what basically looks like a heart monitor, you know, a little grid with the lines going up and down, but instead of measuring heart rate, we were measuring brain activity. And heart rate. I got to wear heart rate monitor stickers to, which left residue on my skin which still refuses to come off, btw.
Equipped with my fannypack transmitter and wire carrying shoulder strap, I felt like an alien bounty hunter. Epic posing was definitely required. I actually like this pic, considering I was wearing zero makeup. It was against the rules after all.
Upon arriving home I made a little video to describe how the EEG worked. Unfortunately, I took it kinda sideways, but I still think it's pretty interesting. :) Wearing the EEG was uncomfortable, especially when it came to sleeptime, but I hope getting it will lead us to figuring out what exactly is going on in my brain, and that we will be able to correct the problem.
Plus, while I was all hooked up, I saw the most amazing double rainbow. That made my day. I look silly in that picture, but it shows me outside, with my gauze looking mummy wrappings, excited to see a rainbow, so I included it.
In the elevator on the way up to take it off, a man looked at me and asked if we were doing brain testing. I told him yes, and his response was "Then you must have a pretty important brain." That was a pretty cool way to look at the experience.
September 5, 2012
All the Dancing
It needs to be said, since this is kind of a dance oriented blog, that this week I danced. A lot.
After a summer of very minimal dancing, my first week at college brought dance classes everyday, as well as three dance tryouts. All my tryouts went really well.
I'm debating how much I should tell you about how weird I thought the contemporary tryout was. I mean, normally I love contemporary, but this audition was not the contemporary I was used to. This was like random movements to even more random drumbeats. Plus we did eight pushups and that was plenty. That didn't make me feel the best about my body, but hey. Life goes on. I made callbacks and got to do the little flick the oil off my hands dance again. I will explain it. Here goes.
The Dance of Contemporary Audition
Swing your arms. That's it. Like a windmill. But do this off balance. Yep. Stick your hips forward more. There you go.
Now spin around like you're off balance.
If you actually are off balance, more power to you.
Now spin back the other way, and hug yourself like you're angry. Make it work, those are the instructions.
BAM! Get in the audience's face. You just project that energy man. Just project it.
Now....
faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall.
Fall to the ground and shoot your legs out, towards the audience, never mind the awkward position you're now in. It's great and artistic, I promise.
Now crunch your body. Even more awkward, even more artistic.
Slide on the ground. Slidey slidey slidey.
Do a lil jump like a monkey and explodey jump. (I was good at the explodey jump part.)
Now flail your arms, first right, then left, "Like you are removing oil from your finger tips". Or conversely, like a monkey once again.
Now hippity hop - reminiscint of..... a MONKEY- in circles
LEAP
and bend with intensity.
Then awkward head initiated body roll and stick your leg up while completely changing body positions.
Once again, being off balance is in your favor here.
Fin.
It was a nice moment. I tell you what.
Next day. More dance class, and Folk Dance Auditions.
Also known as, longest auditions of my life. Four hours people. It were crazy times.
But it was also insanely fun. It felt sooo good to just really be dancing again and smiling and performing and not feeling like a monkey.
I won't go into all the deets about that audition, but I made the team, and I am so excited about it. I hope that in the next couple years I can move right up the ranks so that I can do the cool people dances, like Hopak and the sweet Indian dancing with all the cool pants.
I had my first Folk Dance class yesterday, and we did some lovely circular dancing and a lot of claps and snaps. It was mucho good times.
Last night I went to ballroom auditions, and while I didn't make the team, I actually ended up doing much better than I'd anticipated. It was a really good experience to try out, and I'm totally planning on going back to try again next semester. Just for kicks and giggles.
While my soul has loved all the dancing, my feet have not. In addition, my shins are really hating all the walking on campus. I just have to remind myself that at least I'm getting a workout and then I don't feel quite so annoyed.
There was a moment of alarm last night when I returned to my dorm and made the observation that my scar had begun to split open..you know, where I got surgery three years ago. That's always an exciting moment in the life of a young person such as I.
And now... it's FRIDAY!!!
But before you feel tempted to sing a Rebecca Black song, know that there are much better alternatives. Namely, Gandalf.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF2iEAIFvPg
There it is, if you'd like to know how I really am feeling about Friday, you just check that puppy out.
After a summer of very minimal dancing, my first week at college brought dance classes everyday, as well as three dance tryouts. All my tryouts went really well.
I'm debating how much I should tell you about how weird I thought the contemporary tryout was. I mean, normally I love contemporary, but this audition was not the contemporary I was used to. This was like random movements to even more random drumbeats. Plus we did eight pushups and that was plenty. That didn't make me feel the best about my body, but hey. Life goes on. I made callbacks and got to do the little flick the oil off my hands dance again. I will explain it. Here goes.
The Dance of Contemporary Audition
Swing your arms. That's it. Like a windmill. But do this off balance. Yep. Stick your hips forward more. There you go.
Now spin around like you're off balance.
If you actually are off balance, more power to you.
Now spin back the other way, and hug yourself like you're angry. Make it work, those are the instructions.
BAM! Get in the audience's face. You just project that energy man. Just project it.
Now....
faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall.
Fall to the ground and shoot your legs out, towards the audience, never mind the awkward position you're now in. It's great and artistic, I promise.
Now crunch your body. Even more awkward, even more artistic.
Slide on the ground. Slidey slidey slidey.
Do a lil jump like a monkey and explodey jump. (I was good at the explodey jump part.)
Now flail your arms, first right, then left, "Like you are removing oil from your finger tips". Or conversely, like a monkey once again.
Now hippity hop - reminiscint of..... a MONKEY- in circles
LEAP
and bend with intensity.
Then awkward head initiated body roll and stick your leg up while completely changing body positions.
Once again, being off balance is in your favor here.
Fin.
It was a nice moment. I tell you what.
Next day. More dance class, and Folk Dance Auditions.
Also known as, longest auditions of my life. Four hours people. It were crazy times.
But it was also insanely fun. It felt sooo good to just really be dancing again and smiling and performing and not feeling like a monkey.
I won't go into all the deets about that audition, but I made the team, and I am so excited about it. I hope that in the next couple years I can move right up the ranks so that I can do the cool people dances, like Hopak and the sweet Indian dancing with all the cool pants.
I had my first Folk Dance class yesterday, and we did some lovely circular dancing and a lot of claps and snaps. It was mucho good times.
Last night I went to ballroom auditions, and while I didn't make the team, I actually ended up doing much better than I'd anticipated. It was a really good experience to try out, and I'm totally planning on going back to try again next semester. Just for kicks and giggles.
While my soul has loved all the dancing, my feet have not. In addition, my shins are really hating all the walking on campus. I just have to remind myself that at least I'm getting a workout and then I don't feel quite so annoyed.
There was a moment of alarm last night when I returned to my dorm and made the observation that my scar had begun to split open..you know, where I got surgery three years ago. That's always an exciting moment in the life of a young person such as I.
And now... it's FRIDAY!!!
But before you feel tempted to sing a Rebecca Black song, know that there are much better alternatives. Namely, Gandalf.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF2iEAIFvPg
There it is, if you'd like to know how I really am feeling about Friday, you just check that puppy out.
Twitterpated
A couple days ago, I wrote a long and rambling blog post about dance at college thus far. I explained the intricacies of the dance audition, and my abundant excitement for the folk dance team.
Just as I went to post... BAM. It somehow deleted. Everything. I pushed publish, and then it was all gone. And it was most concerning.
When things like that happen my next instinct is to write a post saying "GRRR! I JUST SPENT TWENTY MINUTES TELLING YOU ALL ABOUT MY LIFE AND NOW IT'S GONE!"
This is something I didn't do, and this is something I don't really feel the need to do now, and I will tell you why.
But vaguely. Ever so vaguely. (That was to be said the way Anthony Andrews says 'but slowly, ever so slowly' in the Scarlet Pimpernell, for those of you who were wondering.)
Why so vague? (Yep, we just segued from Anthony Andrews to Heath Ledger.)
Well, because I'm not sure who is actually going to end up reading this! And too much information in the hands of the wrong individual could prove disastrous, and potentially mortifying.
The news, though, I know you are all waiting for the news.
For the first time in a long time I am well and truly twitterpated.
This is something which deserves a post, wouldn't you agree?
Just as I went to post... BAM. It somehow deleted. Everything. I pushed publish, and then it was all gone. And it was most concerning.
When things like that happen my next instinct is to write a post saying "GRRR! I JUST SPENT TWENTY MINUTES TELLING YOU ALL ABOUT MY LIFE AND NOW IT'S GONE!"
This is something I didn't do, and this is something I don't really feel the need to do now, and I will tell you why.
But vaguely. Ever so vaguely. (That was to be said the way Anthony Andrews says 'but slowly, ever so slowly' in the Scarlet Pimpernell, for those of you who were wondering.)
Why so vague? (Yep, we just segued from Anthony Andrews to Heath Ledger.)
Well, because I'm not sure who is actually going to end up reading this! And too much information in the hands of the wrong individual could prove disastrous, and potentially mortifying.
The news, though, I know you are all waiting for the news.
For the first time in a long time I am well and truly twitterpated.
This is something which deserves a post, wouldn't you agree?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)